Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-27
CEPHAS JONES, PARDON.
Facts Learned by the District AttOf-
ncy-yiEilantes i'm Washingtom.

As stated in Tuesdays STAR the President has
granted q pardon to Cephas Jones' who was sent
to the Albany penitentiary for thirty years In 1878
upon conviction OF charge OF rape committed
November 5, 1877, in the northeastern section OF
the city, This outrage, followed shortly afterward
by two others In the same section, created great
excitement at the time.
II is probable that no case on application for
pardon was ever more thoroughly Investigated
than this one. The district attorney spent con-
siderable time upon IL before submitting the re-
port on which the President acted and learned
many interesting facts. Several members of the
jury that convicted Jones were seen, and at least
half OF them stated TO the attorney that for years
they had felt that their verdict was wrong and
expressed a desire that he should be pardoned as
they now believed Jones to be an innocent man.
At least four of the officers interested in the case
stated that they were now satisfied that all three
OF the outrageS committed in East Washington
about the time Jones was arrested were commit
ted by one man, and that they believed that Tom
Smothers tnow In the penitentiary) was the guilty
party, Tor after his arrest such OutrageS in that
section ceased. There were also statements from
some OF the guards at the jail OF circumstances
tending 10 SHOW that Jones was innocent of the
first crime, and that SmOthers was guilty OF ALL
The district attorney having learned that shortly
after the first outrage citizens protective asso-
citation was formed and also had hints Of other or
CARNATIONS, one meeting at McCauley's Hall
and the vig1lantS' meeting In private houses,
thought that members of such organizations might
throw some light on the case With the under
standing that the examination would not be too
searching, several members OF these organizations
were summoned before the district attorney.
From them 1t was learned that the vigilants were
organized AT the time with central or executive
committee, each member of which had under him
squad or eight or ten. Under the command of q
captain, VINO had seen service under Judge Lynch,
in California, and other states from time to time
the northeast section was patrOlled and warnings
given.
He also learned that this organization, formed
before Jones second trial. had calmly talked over
the subject the plan OF action and the guilt in
nocence OF suspected parties and that long before
the arrest OF SmotherS they Investigated the case
OF Jones and decided shat while the circum-
stances OF Jones' case might warrant the civil
tnorltleS In holding an 1mpriSoning him yet the
testimony was not OF that positive character which
would warrant the taking OF his ife."
Inc district attorney also learned that plan
was laid 10 take SmOtherS from the jail. By some
means the authorities at the Jail became sus-
p1clOus that they would operate at night, and the
very day selected by the vig1lanteS SmOtherS was
taken off in the 2 o'clock train One Of those be-
lore the district attorney, believing that there
was no danger OF telling all he knew, when asked
by the district attorney what he knew OF Jones'
case replied, "Well, when this outrage occurred
we found that we had not the necessary police
protection, and organized to protect our families,
and patrolled the neighbOrhOOd We held meet
fngS, carefully considered the case Of Jones, and
became satisfied that he was not the man; and
You can rest assured, SIR that had we been salts
ned as 70 nus guilt he would not have been tried.
While we knew that this was not exactly the law
as laid down in the books, felt that 1t was time
that the people enforced The higher law"
FLOWERS AT AUCTION.-DuncanSOn Bros. will sell
tomorrow at IL O'Clock, at the nursery Of w. M.
Coleman, 1919 New York avenue, a fine collection
OF healthy flowers and bedding plants.